Coverocktober Song #13: "Just Like Heaven" by Dinosaur Jr.

I haven't yet featured a song from a grunge or '90s alternative rock band this Rocktober, so lucky #13 seems like as good a time as any.  One of my favorite songs by The Cure is their iconic 1987 hit "Just Like Heaven."  While it wasn't a massive success on the charts, it did reach #40 on the Billboard Hot 100, making it The Cure's first Top 40 hit in the U.S.  It was also the band's eleventh Top 40 in their native UK, reaching #29 on the UK pop chart.  But time has treated the song better than radio play and sales at the time might have.  I'd reckon I'm not overstating things when I say it's one of the best new wave and goth rock songs ever made.

Influential alt rockers Dinosaur Jr. recorded a cover of the song in 1989, with the intention that it was going to be part of a compilation album.  However, the band liked how their version sounded so much that they kept it for themselves.  In typical Dinosaur Jr. fashion, they sped up the tempo, added plenty of distortion, and turned the chorus into a visceral scream.  The result is a great pre-grunge alt rock track that pays homage to a band who influenced countless others, while also showing why Dinosaur Jr. became such an influence on so many '90s rock bands.  Even Cure lead singer Robert Smith has said Dinosaur Jr.'s version of "Just Like Heaven" is his favorite cover of the song.